January: National Blood Donor Month

From National Blood Donor Month to National Kazoo Day, January is packed with unique commemorative designations and holidays and they range from the important to the silly.

One of the more important designations for January is National Blood Donor Month. January typically sees blood donations drop since the wintery month is cold, dark and situated right after the holidays. All of these factors make it more likely that donors will struggle to make their appointments during this month. Thus January has been given a special designation in hopes that people like you will step forward to donate during the first month of the year!

Nearly 10 million people donate blood every year; this month especially the American Red Cross wants you to be one of the 10 million. When you donate blood you are saving lives. Every two seconds someone is in need of donated blood. To keep up with that kind of demand 38,000 donations are needed every day. With only one pint of blood you can save up to three lives!

Here is a local place that you can donate blood:

Memorial Blood Centers (Premier Bank Building)

500 W 98^th St.

Bloomington, MN 55420

Phone: 612-871-3300

While the blood drive effort lasts all month long, there are also some very interesting holidays during January.

January 18

• Winnie the Pooh Day which was created to celebrate the birth of the author of Winnie the Pooh, A. A. Milne on January 18, 1882. Celebrate today by reading some of your favorite storybooks of the adventures of Winnie the Pooh!

January 19

• Edgar Allan Poe’s Birthday (1/19/1809 – 10/7/1849) Edgar Allan Poe was an author, poet, editor and literary critic. One of his famous works is “The Raven” which was published in 1845 which made him a household name. 

January 23

• Chinese New Year is the longest and most important event in the Chinese calendar.  Chinese months are determined by the lunar calendar.  In China, people will take weeks off from work to prepare for this celebration. Legend says that Buddha asked all of the animals to meet him on the Chinese New Year, when only 12 animals showed up Buddha named a year after each of them. It is said that someone who is born in the year of a particular animal will have traits like that animal. 2012 is the year of the dragon and it is said that those born in the year of the dragon are said to be brave, innovative and passionate.
• January 23 is also National Pie Day! According to a 2004 survey Apple pie is the most popular pie followed by Pumpkin pie and Sweet Potato pie. 

January 25 

• Opposite Day.

January 27

• Fun at work Day. Have a blast everyone!
• Holocaust Memorial Day. This day to remember the victims of the holocaust. This day of remembrance began in 2001 and is held on the anniversary of the liberation of the Aushwitz concentration camp by the Soviet Union in 1945.
• Also sharing January 27 is Chocolate Cake Day. Who says cake is just for birthdays?  Let there be cake!

January 28

• Christa McAuliffe Day (11/2/1948 – 1/28/1986) Christa was one of the seven crew members killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. She was a teacher who took part in the NASA Teacher in Space Project founded by President Ronald Reagan. Christa was selected from among 11,000 applicants to participate in a program designed to increase the public’s interest in the shuttle program and remind Americans the important role that teachers serve in their country. On Jan.28, 2986 the space shuttle disintegrated just 73 seconds after being launched. Since the death of Christa McAuliffe many schools and scholarships have been named in Christa’s honor.
• January 28 is also National Kazoo Day.